This story is from March 31, 2017

March heat kills two in Maharashtra, states on alert

The scorching conditions across the state, which has seen temperatures touch 46.5 degrees Celsius in Bhira in Raigad district and 44 degrees in Akola, was raised in the legislative council on Thursday.
March heat kills two in Maharashtra, other states on alert
(AP photo)
Key Highlights
  • Maharashtra govt has directed around 160 civil and sub-district hospitals to set up dedicated wards for heat wave patients.
  • Many cities are recording temperatures normally seen in April-May, forcing several states to sound heat alerts.
Heat waves continued to shatter temperature records in many parts of west, central and north India even as the country recorded the first heat deaths of the season, very unusual in the month of March, on Thursday. The Maharashtra government confirmed two people had died of heat in the state and directed around 160 civil and sub-district hospitals to set up dedicated wards for heat wave patients.

Many cities are recording temperatures normally seen in April-May, forcing several states to sound heat alerts. Apart from Maharashtra, heat waves were recorded in UP, Gujarat, Odisha, south Haryana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Bengal. Severe heat wave conditions, where temperatures are at least seven degrees above normal, were seen in parts of Rajasthan and MP.
“Two people, one each in Aurangabad and Solapur districts, are reported to have died. We have asked all civil and sub-district hospitals to revive wards for summer ailments,” Maharashtra health minister Deepak Sawant said.
A Maharashtra health official denied some media reports about five heat wave deaths in the state and said, “Deaths due to other causes could have been counted and connected with the heat wave.”
The scorching conditions across the state, which has seen temperatures touch 46.5 degrees Celsius in Bhira in Raigad district and 44 degrees in Akola, was raised in the legislative council on Thursday.
In Rajasthan, heat continued to break records, with the mercury surging up to 43.4 degrees Celsius in Barmer and Churu on Thursday. Temperatures in the state had shot up to 44.4 degrees Celsius on Monday, which broke the record of 43.3 degrees Celsius for the month of March that had stood since March 1946. Jaipur was at 41.4 degrees, a 10-year high.

The Met department has predicted severe heat wave conditions for the next 48 hours.
Uttar Pradesh reported heat wave conditions in several parts of the state on Thursday, with maximum temperatures 5-6 degrees above normal. In Lucknow, the temperature soared to 41.1 degrees C, highest in the month of March in 15 years.
Banda was the hottest spot in the state with a maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Allahabad with 42.3, Jhansi 41.6 and Varanasi 41.5. State Met director J P Gupta said similar conditions will prevail till Sunday-Monday.
Thereafter, temperatures are expected to come down to normal levels. Thundershowers may occur in northwest UP on April 5-6.
Gujarat too is reeling under severe heat wave condition since Monday. The mercury hovered above the 43-degree mark across four cities on Monday, with Deesa in Banaskantha district reporting a record-high temperature of 43.4 degrees Celsius. Civic authorities in Ahmedabad also issued a yellow warning, urging citizens to remain careful as temperatures are likely to soar. In the first two days of the week, more than 1,400 cases of heat-related emergencies were reported from across the state, with maximum cases of abdominal pain, unconsciousness due to dehydration and chest pain.
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